Share this:

We hold a number of online events every month. Some showcase a software solution or feature, others celebrate a customer success, and others offer helpful tips and tricks for users. Here is what we have coming up this month. Click on the title of the event, or the “Register” link, for more details and to join us.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16 – 1:00 p.m. ETWine Bottle Stability Simulation
The wine brewing process is complex, and so is the process of manufacturing wine bottles. A bottle must be of specified volume while also being lightweight, stable during motion, and aesthetically attractive. Learn more about a real-life simulation process used to virtually design wine bottles that not only look and feel good but also remain stable on a fast-moving conveyor belt in a packaging plant.
>> REGISTER

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24 – 1:00 p.m. ETWhat’s New in Inventor 2017 R2
Autodesk will be releasing a significant update to Inventor, its flagship 3D design and engineering software. Join us and see these new features and a live demonstration of some of the more notable additions to Inventor 2017, followed by Q&A.
>> REGISTERTHURSDAY, AUGUST 25 – 1:00 p.m. ETWhat’s New in NX 11
Siemens PLM will be releasing the latest version of NX at the end of August. Get a sneak peak of the new functionality, bells, and whistles that will be coming along with version 11.
>> REGISTERTUESDAY, AUGUST 30 – 1:00 p.m. ETProduct Design Collection: What Happened to my Suites?
Your Factory Design and Product Design Suites have been retired. What does this mean for you? Join us to learn about the new Product Design Collection and the benefits the new collection offers.
>> REGISTER

Questions? Leave a comment and we’ll get right back to you.

Share this:

Are you installing a new version of Inventor, or reinstalling a previous version? Do you have a customized User Interface that you’d like to keep? Autodesk Inventor Professional allows you to import and export customized settings to the UI with a few easy steps.

Right-Click anywhere in the Ribbon and Select “Customize User Commands“

The Export and Import buttons allow you to save a customized interface and use it on other installations.

Application Settings can also be modified, saved, and used on other installations:

In the Application Menu, select the Options button. This takes you to the Application Options Menu.

Similar to the Ribbon Customization Interface, your application customization preferences can easily be imported and exported.

Thanks for reading!

Share this:

We’ve been communicating regularly that Autodesk is phasing out perpetual licenses of the Design & Creation Suite as well as individual products and as a friendly reminder, today is the last day you have the option to purchase perpetual licenses. Beginning August 1st, Autodesk will introduce three new packages under the new industry collections umbrella: Product Design; Media & Entertainment; and Architecture, Engineering & Construction. Check out this sneak peek of what is to come:

Why the changes?The goal of the change is to enhance the user experience in the following ways:

Simplified Offerings – All of your most essential software tools are in one of three collections. There are no more tiers or multiple suites to choose from. It’s simple…just pick the collection that fits your industry.

Ongoing Improvement – Industry collections are built to adapt and continuously evolve so that you get access to new applications as well as cloud services and improved workflows regularly, not just once a year with a new release. Basically you get the new technology when it’s ready!

More Cloud Services – You get the power of the cloud in industry collections. You’ll gain access to more cloud services than what’s currently available in the Design & Creation suites as well as allow shared access to cloud services with other users.

Greater Value – You get more bang for your buck with industry collections. You gain access to more software for a very competitive price point.

More Options – Today, subscriptions to the Design & Creation suites are available for single-user access only but with the new Industry Collections, you will have the option for single-user and multi-user access. You can also choose the term lengths so you can make decisions based on your business needs.

If you have questions or just want to discuss your options, reply in the comments section or reach us here. You can also call our sales line at 877-668-8282.

Share this:

Laser scanning is quickly becoming a necessary function prior to quoting or preliminary layout. It’s also replacing the traditional “field trips” for survey and manual measurement. 3D laser scanning facilitates the ability to capture data points that can be utilized in 2D or 3D CAD or web based viewers. This provides users with “as-built” math data. With point clouds, engineers can find themselves immersed in a 3D as-is environment with a clear view of everything that wasn’t on the 2D drawing – not to mention this can be done from anywhere on the globe with web viewers.

With the same data accessible to everyone, you can confidently answer questions like: “will the equipment fit in another area of the factory?” or “Have we got room for a mezzanine?” The point cloud has the information on which to base an accurate proposal.

In addition to saving time and money over traditional methods, 3D scanning affords decision-makers with a tool to evaluate as-built conditions, perform assessments, and manage large asset portfolios. In many ways, 3D scanning lays a solid foundation for the overall management on projects.

Do you have any questions about laser scanning or want to share your organization’s experiences with it? Leave a comment and let me know.

Share this:

Are factory or facility layouts a common part of your workflow? Factory Design Suite (FDS) allows you to import files from Autodesk’s comprehensive asset database, using either AutoCAD or Inventor Professional for your factory layouts.

Roller Conveyor in AutoCAD

Simply select the desired asset from the Asset Browser and place it in the desired location. In addition, assets can easily be re-positioned once they are loaded into a layout. This works the same with both Inventor and AutoCAD.

Roller Conveyor in Inventor. Linked to AutoCAD asset.

With the FDS interoperability workflows, once an asset is placed in your layout, it can easily be synced with all other associated files.

Thanks for reading, and leave a comment if you have any questions or additional thoughts.

Share this:

Whether you are brand new to Inventor or a seasoned veteran, your most common task is likely navigating parts, assemblies, and drawings. The following are the picks, clicks, keys, and techniques to maneuver through Inventor’s different environments.

Mouse Commands
The four built-in functions to the mouse are:1. Zoom In/Out
i. Rolling your middle mouse button forward or backward will zoom-in or zoom-out. By default, you pull the model toward you and push the model away. To reverse this behavior (and have the zoom behave like Google Maps) go to Tools > Application Options > Display and check “Reverse Direction” under “Zoom Behavior”. Note: Zooming by scrolling zooms toward and away from your cursor is pointed.